The air inside the club grew heavy as Darius stepped forward, the floor creaking beneath his massive frame. His grin stretched wide, his teeth flashing like a predator ready to tear into prey. Enzo raised his pistol with trembling hands, every muscle in his body screaming to run, but his pride held him in place.
Selene's voice cut through the chaos. "Careful, Enzo. This one is not like the others. He has tasted blood far longer than you have been alive."
Darius laughed, the sound booming through the ruined club. "I expected a coward, but you actually point a gun at me. Fine, boy. Let us see what fire burns in your heart."
Enzo pulled the trigger. The shot cracked through the air, slamming into Darius's shoulder. The giant staggered but did not fall. Instead, his laughter grew louder, shaking the walls. He advanced, each step slow and deliberate, his crimson eyes gleaming with hunger.
Panicked, Enzo fired again and again, but Darius moved through the bullets like a beast that felt no pain. He grabbed a table, hurling it across the room with a roar. Enzo dove to the side, the crash rattling his bones.
Selene threw a blade, its silver edge cutting across Darius's arm. Blood spilled, but the brute only grinned wider. "Sharp, little snake. But you cannot save him forever." He charged.
Enzo raised his pistol, but Darius was too fast. The giant's fist slammed into his chest, the force throwing him across the room. He hit the ground hard, coughing blood, the taste of iron flooding his mouth. His vision blurred as the towering shadow loomed closer.
Pain burned through every nerve, but rage flared hotter. Enzo forced himself up, grabbing a shard of broken glass from the floor. His hand shook, but he lunged forward, stabbing it into Darius's side.
The brute snarled, the wound slowing him only for a moment. His massive hand wrapped around Enzo's throat, lifting him off the ground as if he were nothing. Enzo clawed at the grip, his lungs screaming for air.
"Is this the wolf Selene trains?" Darius mocked, his voice thick with cruelty. "You are still just a pup."
Selene dashed forward, her blades flashing in twin arcs. She sliced deep into Darius's arm, forcing him to drop Enzo. The boy collapsed, gasping, but his eyes burned with defiance.
"Get up," Selene hissed, her gaze never leaving Darius. "If you cannot stand now, you are already dead."
Enzo dragged himself to his feet, blood dripping from his mouth. His entire body screamed in agony, but his pride refused to fall. He raised his pistol once more, pointing it directly at Darius's head.
For the first time, the brute's grin faltered. His crimson eyes narrowed, locking with Enzo's. The boy's finger tightened on the trigger.